Did you cancel your Hulu subscription, but are thinking about going back? In a deal that just happens to begin at the same time as Netflix’s upcoming price hike, Hulu is offering a discount on its service for new and returning subscribers for the coming year. [More]
streaming services
AT&T Admits It Wasn’t Prepared For DirecTV Now To Grow So Quickly
By 5.16.17
Although AT&T executives initially dismissed technical issues that popped up during the early days of DirecTV Now as no big deal, the company’s top tech executive admits now that the company wasn’t prepared to deal with the streaming service’s rapid growth. [More]
Netflix May Edit Its Content Specifically For Mobile Users
By 3.16.17
In order to stand out in the crowded field of on-demand streaming services, media companies know the more places they can get eyeballs on their content, the more successful they’ll be. And because viewers are often on the go, Netflix says it’s considering making separate cuts of its original programming optimized for watching on mobile devices. [More]
Nintendo Switch Will Include Netflix, Hulu & Other Services…. Eventually
By 3.8.17
If you’re already bored playing the games on your new Nintendo Switch — and its awful tasting cartridges — there’s little else you can do with the gaming system…. at least for now. [More]
Rumor Has It: Disney Interested In Buying Netflix
By 10.4.16
In the world of media companies, the water cooler is always a busy place — and it’s been hopping lately over rumors that Walt Disney Co. is thinking of buying Netflix. [More]
North Korea’s Parents Now Have A Streaming Video Service To Distract Their Kids With
By 8.22.16
Although North Korea is often regarded as one of the least connected countries in the world, those who do have access to the state-run version of the internet will have a few more things to watch — and a few more things to distract their kids with. [More]
HBO Streaming Services Went Down During ‘Game Of Thrones’ Because Of Course They Did
By 6.20.16
What’s the worst possible time for HBO’s streaming services to go down? That would have to be during the first airing of a new episode of the premium channel’s Game of Thrones, and is precisely what happened last night. Fans, perhaps having subscribed to the service because HBO is now getting serious about stopping piracy, couldn’t access the streaming service which is designed to stop them from pirating HBO shows. [More]
Kanye West Releases One ‘The Life Of Pablo’ Song On Apple Music, Google, And Spotify
By 3.28.16
“My album will never never never be on Apple,” Kanye West insisted on Twitter, referring to his latest release, “The Life of Pablo.” This is literally true, but one song from the album is now available on the major streaming services, including Apple, Spotify, and Google Play. [More]
It’s Time To Rescue Any Information You Value From Rdio
By 12.16.15
As we reported about a month ago, the streaming music service Rdio has been acquired by Pandora. Rather than keeping the service alive, Pandora plans to shut it down and use its technology and some employees for their own purposes. They might make it part of their current service, or plan to add a playlist-style streaming music app. If you’ve used Rdio, it’s time to download any content that you want to keep. [More]
Rdio Will File For Bankruptcy, Sell Smoldering Remains To Pandora
By 11.16.15
RIP, Rdio: the music streaming service tried its best to compete with bigger streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music. After the company files for bankruptcy, though, competitor Pandora has offered $75 million in cash for its intellectual property and some employees. What about the customers? They could come along as part of a separate transaction. [More]
Apple Music Managed To Keep 6.5 Million Paying Customers So Far
By 10.20.15
It probably won’t surprise you to learn that millions of trial Apple Music users decided to cancel their service instead of keeping their accounts and paying 10 bucks a month. However, Apple reports that six and a half million users decided to keep the service. Or forgot to cancel their accounts before billing started, but from Apple’s point of view, those customers’ money is just as good. [More]
11 Million People Are Trying Apple Music, Some Might Actually Pay In September
By 8.6.15
Can Apple’s music-streaming service convert its users into paying customers once the service’s trial period is done? How many people have signed up for Apple Music so far, anyway? The company has finally provided the world with an update on its shiny new streaming service, including actual subscriber numbers. [More]
Chicago Residents Now Stuck With A New 9% “Cloud Tax” On Netflix And Other Streaming Services
By 7.1.15
There used to be a whole world of brick-and-mortar retail stores and transactions a city could gather some sales tax from and build into a revenue stream. As more and more goods instead become online services, though, those streams have dried up. Now one city wants to go back to gathering its cash… from your transactions in the cloud. [More]
HBO Now Reportedly Coming To A Google Or Android Device Near You… Soon
By 5.28.15
When HBO (kind of) cut the cord and announced it would finally launch a long-awaited standalone streaming service earlier this year, many Android users were left on the sidelines as it was revealed that HBO Now would start as an Apple exclusive. Now those once disconnected consumers can rejoice (if they so choose) because the service will soon be available on Google devices and Chromecast. [More]
Report: Apple Sides With Music Labels, Thinks Free Streaming Service Tiers Are Bad
By 3.6.15
Last year, Apple acquired Beats, a company that makes two things that go nicely with media players and smartphones: high-end headphones and a subscription-based music streaming service. While they’re happy to offer a free trial and will be reportedly be pushing the Beats Music app to iDevice users in the future, Apple will not follow competitor Spotify’s lead in offering a free, ad-supported tier. [More]
Target Shuts Down Their Video Streaming Service That Apparently Exists
By 2.10.15
Target Ticket began in the fall of 2013. It was meant to compete with streaming services like Amazon, Redbox streaming, Vudu, and Flixster. Now Target Ticket is shutting down. Members need not worry that they’ll lose the content they’ve bought or earned: films that users have purchased access to will transfer over to another competing service, CinemaNow. [More]
Overstock.com Still Trying To Be Amazon, Launching VOD & Streaming Service
By 1.20.15
Back in 2013, online retailer Overstock.com engaged in a tit-for-tat book-discounting battle with Amazon. While the short-lived competition didn’t exactly prove to be a sales dream for O.co, the company is now reportedly preparing to take on its e-retail arch nemesis again by launching video-on-demand and streaming services. [More]
Marriott Testing In-Room Access To Netflix, Hulu, And Other Streaming Services
By 1.20.15
Just a week after Marriott buckled under backlash from the public by saying it would no longer block guests from using their personal WiFi devices, the company announced a plan that just might persuade customers from streaming content to their personal devices via WiFi: Offering in-room entertainment access to Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, and other streaming services. [More]
